A message from our Founder and Director, Sharon Booth
 

As a new academic year begins, we want to take a moment to reflect on the journey we’ve shared over the past year and to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support. The past academic year has been marked by significant successes and equally profound challenges, particularly in the context of the ongoing situation in Israel and Palestine.

Celebrating our successes
 

Despite the difficulties, our commitment to fostering constructive dialogue and understanding between young people in the UK has only strengthened. Last year, we successfully engaged with over 11,000 students across the country through our workshops, helping them to critically engage with the complex issues surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Feedback from both students and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many noting that our approach has transformed their perspectives and deepened their understanding.

One of our most significant achievements has been the expansion of our Olive Branch Award for schools. School-by-school, we are transforming the situation across the country, enabling teachers to lead discussions on this issue with confidence, and each school to develop a new culture of respectful discussion about this intricate topic.

Our Student Leadership Programmes have also been successful, with a study trip to Northern Ireland and a Bridge Builders’ Programme in Cambridge that brought profound learning experiences and empowerment to the participants.

We are also proud of the new educational resources we’ve developed, which are designed to help teachers navigate this sensitive topic in their classrooms. These resources have been widely adopted and have proven to be an invaluable tool in promoting balanced and respectful discussions.

Navigating a challenging year
 

However, this past year has also been incredibly challenging. The escalation of violence and tension in Israel and Palestine has had a deep impact on our work, and we know it has been a difficult time for many of you, as well. The situation on the ground has brought renewed urgency to our mission, as the need for nuanced, empathetic, and informed dialogue has never been greater.

We have faced the challenge of addressing heightened emotions and divisions within the student communities we serve. In these moments, our commitment to providing a safe space for dialogue and understanding has been put to the test. We are proud to say that, thanks to the dedication of our team and the support of people like you, we have continued to uphold our principles and provide much-needed support to students and educators alike.

The year has reminded us all of the importance of the work we do. While the conflict is complex and often painful, it is through continued education and dialogue that we can hope to inspire the next generation to pursue peace and justice.

Looking ahead
 

As we move into this new academic year, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose. The challenges of the past year have only strengthened our resolve to continue our work. We have exciting plans to expand our reach, develop new programmes, and deepen our impact in schools across the UK.

Your support will be more crucial than ever as we navigate these difficult times and continue to champion the values of empathy, understanding, and peace.

Our goal for this academic year is to reach over 12,000 participants through more than 20 one-week tours across Britain’s schools. This is a 25% increase on last year’s target, and we would like to ask our supporters to increase their giving this year by up to 25% to help us achieve this. We can’t do it without you.

Thank you for standing with us through this journey. Together, we are making a difference, one school at a time, and are on track to achieve our objective for transformation across the secondary education system in our priority areas by the early 2030s.

- Sharon Booth, Founder and Director of Solutions Not Sides.

Donate to Solutions Not Sides here: bit.ly/SNSDonate

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